Washing apparatus



June 16, 1925.

W. B. TUNSTALL WASHING APPARATUS Filed May 19. 1922 w u W m, u u m WA 5a. Y M w WNW n W 4f f\ M5. W //////////V//// Patented June 16, 1925.

PATENT* oFFicE.

WILLIAM B. TUNST-ALL, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

` WASHING APPARATUS.

Application med may 19, i922. serial N6. 562,080.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. TUN- sTALL, a citizen of theV UnitedStates, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and StateofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in WashingApparatus, .ofwhich the following is a specifcation.

This invention relates to apparatus for ^cleansing a charge of fabricsimmersed in water in a tub, by forcing air into the bottom lportion ofthe tub, and allowing. the air to pass upwardly through the charge.

' The invention is embodied in certain improvements hereinafterdescribed and claimed, in apparatus of this character, whereby anapparatus of marked simplicity and eHiciency is provided, the nature ofSaid improvements being such-that the apparatus is particularly adaptedfor use with an ordinarypset tub having an inclined front wall, althoughthe invention is not limited to an apparatus thus adapted.

Of the accompanfying drawings forming a part of this speci cation,-

Figure l is a front elevation, showing a set tub and a washing apparatusembodying the invention applied thereto.-

Y Figure 2 is asection on line 2-2 of F igure 1. Y

- Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of` Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4--4'-of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2. l

Figure 6 is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 5. a

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

The apparatus comprises a platform' formed as a cover adapted to besupported on and to close the mouth of a tub 13, which as here shown, isa set tub of ordinary form.

The platform and the component parts ofthe apparatus hereinafterdescribed, may, however, be adapted to cooperate with a tub of anysuitable form. The platform may rest on the upper edges of .the end andfront walls of the tub, .and may be xed thereto: The platform includes abody portion or section 12 provided' with .an opening 12, 'indicated bydotted lines in Figure 5, and a displaceable section or cover 12", whichmay be connected by hinges 14 to a back ear on the body section, orotherwise adapted to ycover and expose the opening12a. The area of theopening 12a is suiicient to permit the insertion and removal of fabricswhen the section 12" is displaced. Said opening is preferably arrangedto'perm-it water from the usual faucets to enter the tub.

Supported by and above the platform l12 is an air-forcing means,including an' electric motor 15,'and a centrifugal fan 1 6, fixed to themotor shaft 17. The fan is enclosed in acasing 18, the outlet 19 ofwhich extends downwardly through the platform and constitutes an elementof air-conducting means fixed to the platform and including said outlet,fa vertical flow conduit 20, extending nearly to the bottom of the tuband a return conduit 25, adapted to conduct air upward from the upperportion of the tub. Said platform and the air-forcing and air-conductingmeans fixed thereto are applicable as a unit to a tub. The apparatuscomprises also a clothessupport composed of av foraminous substantiallyhorizontal top .por-

tion 21, and a marginal curb 22, adapted to rest on the bottom of thetub. The top ortion 21 is flat, and preferably comp-ose of sheet metalhaving numerous perforations 23. A woven wire orother screen 21, havingopenings smaller than the perforations 23, may be placed on. the topportion 21. The fiowconduit 20 has a sliding fit in the top portion 21,so that the apparatus may bebconvenientlyladjusted to the depth of thetu l The area of the top portion 21 is such that it is adapted tosupport a charge of clothes between the platform and the bottom of thetub, so that air foroedthrough the iow conduit passes upwardly in amultiplicity of streains, or bubbles through the charge. The air isreturned from the upper portion of the tub to the fan casing by thereturn conduit 25, which is preferably elbowshaped, having an intake endinthe plat-- `form 12, and a discharge end communicating with the fancasing, as shown by Figures 2 and 5. The return conduit may be composedof sections connected by a sleeve 26, adapted to slip on the sections.

The apparatus includes a screen 27 atv wall. lVhen the apparatus isoperated, air

forced by the fan passes downward through the flow conduit 20, and4 thenupward through a. charge contained in the tub, and is returned to thefan casing by the return conduit 25. The air in its upward passagethrough soapy water in which the fabrics are immersed, forms amultiplicity of bubbles, which naturally accumulate in the upper portionof the tub. Somev of this accumulation or froth is sucked up into thefan casing through the return conduit 25 and is carried downward by theair through the How conduit 20. The motor 15 is located outside the pathin which the air is circulated through the conduits 20 and 25, and iselevated above the platform, so that liquid in the form of froth suckedup through the return conduit. cannot enter and short circuit the motor.To provide for the disposal of a part of the froth, l provide astandpipe 30, which may be detachably connected at its lower end withthe. usual Waste pipe 31. The upper or intake end of the standpipe isbelow the platform and above the lower portion of the screen 27. Thestandpipe provides a safety valve whereby any excess pressure that mayaccumulate in the tub is released into the Waste pipe. In other words,the standpip prevents the accumulation of froth 'from upsetting thebalance of pressure between the f intake and the exhaust or discharge ofthe fan. The motor is enclosed in a motor cas- Y ing 18il adjoining thefan casing 18.

33 represents a -box shaped'jouter casing which encloses the motor, the'fan, and the return conduit, and is provided with a bottom to which themotor is attached. The outer casing 33 is detachably secured to the bodysection of the platform between the openin 12a and one of the externaledges o the ody section by releasable fastenings 34, such as boltssecured to the body section and passing through openings in ears 35 onthe outer casing, and clamping-nuts on the bolts. A switch 37 forstarting and stopping the motor is externally located at the forward endof the casing 33, so that it may be conveniently reached and manipulatedTo prevent objectionable heating of the motor by heat from the tub, Iprovide m0- tor-co'olm means, embodied in a relatively small coo ing fan40, fixed to the motor shaft at the end of the motor casing oppo sitethat at which the air-forcing or main fan 16 is located. The motorcasing 18 is 'provided with Ventilating openings 41 and 43, arranged toreceive and discharge air set in motion by the cooling fan. Said fandraws air into the motor casing at 41, forces it over the colnmutator atB, and through the field at C, and out of the motor casing at 43 asindicated by arrows in Figure 6. The outer casing 33 is provided withVentilating openings 42 and 44, adjacent to the openings 41 and 43, asshown by Figure 6.

' The location of the switch and the provision of motor-cooling means,as described, render the apparatus practically fool proof, so thatunskilled operators may use it without liability of having trouble.

The platform and the air-forcing and airconducting means fixed theretoare applicable as a unit to any suitable tub.

Among the important features of the described apparatus are thefollowing;

First, the location of the motor and airforcing means above the level ofthe Water, so that no appurtenances such as traps, check valves, etc.,are required. Second, the adaptability of the apparatus to an ordinaryset tub, which, as is well known, is supplied with and emptied of waterWithout manual labor.

Third, the air-forcing apparatus contained in a box or holder, anddetachably Secured as a unit to the platform.

I claim:

1. A Washing apparatus comprising a platform, formed as a cover adaptedto close the mouth of a tub, air-forcing means fixed to and locatedabove the platform; and airconducting means fixed to the platform andincluding a flow conduit, adapted to conduct air downward to the lowerportion of a tub, and a return conduit adapted to conduct air upwardfrom the upper portion of the tub, said platform and thel air-forcin andairconducting means fixed thereto eing applicable as a unit toa tub.

2. A Washing apparatus substantially as specied by claim 1, saidair-forcing means including a fan casinf, fixed to and bearing on theupper side of lie platform, and communicating with said conduits, and anelectric motor adapt-ed to drive a fan in said casing, and located abovethe platform out of the path of air circulated in said conduits, so thatliquid carried by the returning air through said return conduit isprevented from short-circuiting the motor.

3. A. washing apparatus substantially as s lecilied by claim 1,comprising also an airistributing clothes support located below saidplatform, communicatin with the dischar e end of said flow conduit., andadapted to dlstribute and upwardly discharge air through clothes betweenthe support and the platform, said support being adapted to rest on thebottom of a tub and movably connected with the flow conduit to conformto the depth of the tub.

4. In a washing apparatus, incombination, a set tub, having a Waste pipein its bottom, a platform formed as a cover adapted to close the mouthof the tub air-forcm means including a fan casing, fixed to an locatedabove the latform, and a motordriven fan in said) casing, air-conductingmeans fixed to the platform and including a flow conduit, adapted toconduct air downward from the fan casing to the lower portion of thetub, and a return conduit adapted to conduct air upward from the upperportion of the tub to the fan casing; a stand pipe communicating withtlie waste pipe and projecting upward there-from to a point below andnear the platform, the arrangement being such that the stand pipereleases a portion of the froth accumulating in the upper portion of thetub, and thereby maintains a uniform balance of pressure between theintake and the discharge of the fan casing, and a screen fixed to andspaced below the platform and enclosing the intake end of the standpipe, to prevent obstruction ofthe latter by fabrics in the tub.

5. A washing apparatus substantiallyas specified by claim 1, saidplatform including a body section provided with an opening within itsmargin, the said air-forcing and air-conducting means being fixed to theplatform between saido ening and one of the outer edges of the p atform,and a displaceable section formed to cover said openmg, the apparatuscomprising also a screen fixed to and spaced below the displaceablesection in the path of air entering said return conduit, anddisplaceable with said section.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WILLIAM B. TUNSTALL.

